The Unwilling Apprentice (Book 2) (23 page)

"How many of Tramadore's men do you have?" Ned wondered.

Captain Spalding stepped forward. "Less than a thousand made it out of the city and onto the plains. There are few of us without injuries, but most can fight."

"And what is the estimate of their army?" Pat questioned.

Spalding shook his head. "At fewest, twelve thousand, but we can't be sure of even that number. The undead came from the castle and their numbers never ceased until we retreated out into the plains. Then they retreated back into the city and the traitors barred the gates. We didn't have word from anyone on the inside until Percy came to us with that assassin at his side."

"And I am still at your side," a voice called from the tent flap. Everyone turned to see Percy flanked by Deadly Sins. He stepped inside and smiled at the group. "We have ourselves a commendable group here. A battle-hardened dwarf, a swordswoman, two castors, two fine captains, and a gargoyle transformed into a girl." Ruth bowed her head. During the day she couldn't transform without falling into stone, but she would be sure to keep herself useful even in her human form. "This gives us a better chance at retaking the city."

"Not while your father holds the whole city as a hostage," Spalding countered. His eyes narrowed as he looked at young man. "Unless you happen to have the same blood thirst as your father."

"If I did I wouldn't be here among you, and from your faces I can see there doesn't seem to be any other choice but to storm the city," Percy countered.

None from the group protested his assessment. Fred furrowed his brow and thought about their previous stay at the city. His eyes lit up and he tugged on Ned's sleeve. The old man turned to him with raised eyebrows. "What about the cavern?" Fred whispered to him.

Percy overheard the question. "The cavern is known by my father, and he will have placed guards and other manner of traps along the entire route. He may have even lined the entire tunnel way with mines. It would be a suicide mission to attempt infiltration, and besides that we don't have the key."

"Then that would be the best route of attack, at least for a small force," Ned spoke up. "As for the key-" He dug into his cloak and pulled out the gate key Tramadore had given him. "That will not be a problem."

"What are you thinking?" Hawkins asked Ned.

The old castor furrowed his brow, and glanced to Spalding. "You said the undead army retreated. Has it been seen since?"

"Not at all," he replied.

"Then that may give us hope. By Percy's own account his father keeps the army in a ring on his hand," Ned told them.

Hawkins frowned. "I don't follow you."

Ned tapped his finger over the castle on the map. "A small group of, say, six people would infiltrate the castle through the tunnel, free Tramadore and lead Sturgeon out through the tunnel."

"And how would that help us?" Hawkins asked him.

"It would direct his attention away from the city while the army attacked the front," Spalding guessed in an excited voice. "They would take the city and cut Sturgeon off from reentering the castle."

"Precisely," Ned replied.

"I can see a million ways this plan will fail," Hawkins countered. "What if Sturgeon releases his army on ours? We would be overwhelmed in minutes. If he does swallow the bait and follow you into the tunnel what's to keep him from unleashing his army and retaking the city?"

"I have a plan for that," a soft, quiet voice spoke up. Deadly Sins stepped forward and his piercing eyes glanced over the group. "I will see to it that he doesn't leave the cavern alive."

Spalding glared at Sins. "How can we trust a murderer-for-hire, particularly since you worked for Sturgeon before?" he countered.

Sins narrowed his eyes. "He lost my favor when he attacked the city. I will not work for a man so laden with the deaths of innocents."

"Even an assassin has principle?" Spalding mockingly asked him.

Ned stepped between the men and held out his arms. "Enough, gentlemen. Our enemies are in the castle." Spalding turned away in disgust, but Ned caught Sins' eyes. "Can you ensure this way will destroy the army, if nothing else?"

"Can the dead be destroyed?" Ruth wondered.

Ned nodded. "Yes, by removing their heads, crushing their bones or both."

Sins bowed his head. "I can guarantee they will be destroyed with those method, and will take care to clear the way for whoever passes through the tunnel." He didn't wait for a reply, but swept out of the tent.

Percy sighed and shrugged. "He's always so impatient when he's on a job."

"Can you guarantee his loyalty, Sir Percy?" Pat asked him.

The young man cringed. "I'm afraid not entirely, but he must truly hate my father to betray an employer. I've never heard of him doing anything like this before."

Ned clapped his hands together and looked around at the people. "Well, we seem to have ourselves a shaky plan. How soon can the men be ready?"

Spalding and Hawkins glanced at one another. "My men are ready now," Hawkins replied.

"And those who are not wounded can fight this minute," Spalding told him.

"Good, have them ready at sunset," Ned commanded.

The two men blinked, and Spalding stepped forward. "Ready at sunset? That's several hours from now."

"Yes, and in case this goes badly we'll need all the help we can get fending off the army. That includes the clan of gargoyles who accompanied us as far as the ridge," Ned explained to them.

Hawkins stiffened, but Spalding was interested. "Gargoyles? They still exist?"

Ned nodded. "Yes, and they have been kind enough to offer their services in return for sanctuary in Tramadore, but we must have night for their help."

"What about the other soldiers? We have many more humans than monsters, and they need light," Hawkins angrily countered.

Pat stepped forward. "They will take care of the fighting before the sun, and the gargoyles will give us the advantage in the dark," she firmly replied. "If you wish to make a complaint against our allies, I suggest you do so after the battle. If we are all dead then you will have saved your breath, and if we're still alive it may well be because of those same monsters."

Hawkins scowled, but bowed his head. The action caused a reflection of an item on his breast, and Ned raised an eyebrow. "An interesting trinket you have there, Captain Hawkins," he commented as he nodded at the hairpin. "A family heirloom?"

"What? Oh, no, just a favor," he replied. "If you will excuse me I will prepare the men."

Hawkins left and Spalding smiled at the group. "I am very glad to see you all on our side. We may have hope in this battle." He bowed and went to prepare his own men.

When they'd left Pat slumped down into a chair and leaned forward. She rung her hands together and shook her head. "Hawkins is right, this is madness. There are a million ways we could fail and doom both Galaron and Tramadore to Sturgeon's rule."

Ned walked over and put a hand on her shoulder; he smiled down on the young girl. "With such adventurers at our disposal I can't see how we will lose."

Pat wryly looked up at him, and her eyes flickered over to Fred. "Well, if someone performs an earthquake I can see how we would all be doomed."

Fred's shoulders slumped, and Ruth patted him on the back. Ned chuckled. "Yes, well, I'm sure there won't be any need of his magic. Our role is a simple rescue mission-"

"-and getting Sturgeon to follow us," Pat added. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes. "You do realize that means he could release the army on us."

Ned sheepishly grinned. "There is that possibility. We'll have to be sure to ask Hawkins for his fastest horses."

CHAPTER 23

Pat spoke with Hawkins about the horses and the others rested for a few hours on an assortment of barrels and chairs outside Hawkins' tent, Percy with them. Ned looked over the boy with curiosity. "How is it your father doesn't know about your disloyalty?" he asked him.

Percy started forward from the chair he was in, and sheepishly grinned. "That obvious?" he countered.

"You're very calm against our imminent defeat. I surmised you must still be in your father's favor," Ned replied.

Percy smiled and nodded. "Yes, my father doesn't know my true intentions, and Sins is very capable of sneaking both of us in and out of the city. Without him now, though, I'm stuck in the fray."

"Then are you going to fight?" Fred asked him. He couldn't imagine the well-dressed lord fighting in the blood and gore of battle.

Percy shrugged. "I have no sword nor steed, and while I have some skill with the sword I don't believe I would be a match for any foe, man or skeleton. I would also only be in the way with your dangerous mission," he added. He stood and stretched. "And seeing as how I eliminated every way to be useful, I should leave and let the fighting to those who know how to do it."

He walked off into the tents, and Fred glanced at Ned. "Do you think we should just let him go? He might tell his father."

Ned frowned, but shook his head. "No. Sturgeon is a clever man, but I don't believe he would send his only son to ingratiate himself with us. He knows the only true immortality is obtained through children, and would rather keep his son safe than throw him into the risky business of spying."

"Ah still don't trust him," Canto spoke up. "The boy is too willing to betray his own kin."

"Our suspicions aside, we have a task to perform that will require our complete focus," Ned scolded.

Fred didn't want to think about that, and hopped off the barrel he sat on. "I'm going to go for a walk," he told them. Fluffy stood up and wagged his tail, and Fred smiled. "Not here. You'll scare everyone." Fluffy drooped and laid back down.

"Mindful you're not gone long," Ned spoke up. "We leave in less than half an hour."

Ruth jumped off her barrel. "May I go with you?" she asked him.

The boy shrugged. "Sure."

The pair wandered off into the forest of tents, and Canto glanced at Ned. "That young fellow reminds me of someone," he commented.

Ned shrugged. "Perhaps, perhaps not."

Canto harrumphed. "Perhaps so," he muttered.

Fred and Ruth wandered through the tents, and the atmosphere was tense. The men made ready their horses and swords, and many passed them on the way to join the calvary squad at the far end of the encampment to the northwest of Tramadore and the camp. Ruth noticed they headed straight for the gates of Tramadore. "Did you want to see the city?" she asked him.

Fred nodded. "Yeah. I kind of wanted to see the place before this battle. I might not get another chance." He glanced at her. "Besides, if we win this it'll be your new home. Don't you want to see it?" he countered.

Ruth bowed her head and furrowed her brow. "I can't say it's home to me yet, not without Lord Tramadore's permission for us to live there."

"I'm sure he'll say you can live there. He's a good lord, and you're going to be one of the ones helping us rescue him," Fred encouraged her.

"Yes, but I won't be much help until after sunset," she reminded him.

"That's not very long now," he pointed out. They arrived at their destination, the large rock along the road that sat on the west-to-south road in front of Tramadore. The tall, sharp rock towered over them, and Fred looked for a way to climb to top. A chill wind blew off it and over him, but Fred brushed it off. "I wish you had your wings right now," he told Ruth.

She smiled and shook her head. "You'll just have to wait," she teased.

"Or try to climb it," he countered. Fred saw a handhold just out of arm's reach. He flattened himself against the stone and jumped up. His fingers caught the hold and he grinned. "Now just got to-"

The stone beneath his fingers cracked open to reveal a pulsing rock. Fred gasped and his hold slipped. He fell into Ruth's arms, and they both collapsed to the ground. Their eyes widened as they watched cracks rush out of the broken area and cover the giant stone. The bright light pushed out of the cracks in spears and shot into the darkening sky. There were shouts from the tents behind them and hands were laid on them. The pair screamed and struggled until they realized it was Pat, Hawkins, Ned and the others.

Pat glared at Fred, whom she held up by his armpits. "What did you do now?" she shouted at him.

"Nothing!" he exclaimed. "I just touched the rock and it came to life!"

The cracks groaned and widened. Chunks of rock fell to the ground and the earth shook beneath their feet. The stone rose up several feet higher and the outer covering fell to the broken ground to reveal a boulder made of pure, shining amethyst. The men and companions were in awe until the pale light darkened. Ned's eyes widened and he covered them all in a barrier a moment before a beam of light shot out at them. It hit the barrier and pushed the whole group back five yards.

Ned glanced around them. "Run, you fools!" he yelled to the soldiers who he couldn't cover. They grabbed their swords and rushed away from the darkening stone. Another beam hit the barrier and Ned winced. He opened a hole in the rear of the barrier and focused his efforts on the front. "Out the back!" he ordered them.